GRAND RAPIDS -- The Grand Rapids Griffins understand why they're the underdogs heading into their first-round playoff series against the Hamilton Bulldogs.

The Griffins lost six of their last seven regular-season games -- including three to the Bulldogs -- to drop to third in the North Division.

That cost them home-ice advantage, but even with a 3-11 record in their past 14 visits to Hamilton's Copps Coliseum, the Griffins say they can advance to the second round.

"It's not about being favorites, it's about execution at playoff time," Griffins forward Darren McCarty said. "Hamilton's got our number lately, but we can beat them if we play our game."

Griffins coach Curt Fraser said the Bulldogs, the 2007 Calder Cup champions, have an advantage in experience, size and patience. But he says his team can counter that with speed, stronger goaltending and better special teams play.

"They play a real simple game and let you beat yourself," Fraser said.

GRIFFINS vs. BULLDOGS

Game 1: Grand Rapids at Hamilton, 7:30 tonight

Game 2: Grand Rapids at Hamilton, 7 p.m. Saturday

Game 3: Hamilton at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Monday

Game 4: Hamilton at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Wednesday

*Game 5: Hamilton at Grand Rapids, 7 p.m. Friday, April 24

*Game 6: Grand Rapids at Hamilton, 6 p.m. Sunday, April 26

*Game 7: Grand Rapids at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. Monday, April 27

* = if necessary
All games on WOOD-AM (1300)

"We just can't allow that to happen this time. We're going to have to have patience, relax and play the game firm and hard."

The Griffins would have preferred to end the regular season on a strong note, but two major factors contributed to their slide.

No. 1, nine of their final 10 games were on the road. No. 2, injuries and recalls took seven forwards (Aaron Downey, Darren Helm, Ville Leino, Evan McGrath, Ryan Oulahen, Mattias Ritola and Jamie Tardif), three defensemen (Jonathan Ericsson, Sergei Kolosov and Garrett Stafford) and one goaltender (Daniel Larsson) out of their regular lineup down the stretch.

But the Griffins can't use that as an excuse, Fraser said.

"Every team that wins anything has to go through adversity, and we had that this year," Fraser said. "If we would have just walked through this and gone 8-2 in the last 10, yeah, we would be feeling good.

"But then if we went into Hamilton and lost the first two, how would we be feeling then?"

Playoff hockey is a matter of inches, McCarty said, and the Griffins will need to work hard for 60 minutes every night to beat the Bulldogs.

"Right now it's about who's going to go the extra mile," McCarty said. "You've got to stay healthy, get a few breaks and get lucky at certain times. When you do that at playoff time, that's when you win."

Said Justin Abdelkader: "I know we had some bumps in the road from injuries and stuff, but hopefully we can come together. I know we have a good group of guys that can go far in the playoffs. It's not talent, it's coming together."

Grand Rapids isn't expecting a short series with Hamilton, which won five in a row to end the regular season.

If the series extends to seven games, the Griffins and Bulldogs will have faced each other 10 times in a 12-game span. That kind of exposure already has built not only familiarity, but contempt.

Fraser likes the character and heart of his team, but knows that the Bulldogs are ready to throw their weight around.

"After playing each other three times in the last week, you develop that edge. And that's good for us," Fraser said. "We're not a real tough team. We rely more on skill and speed and smarts, and we're going to have to get in the trenches if we expect to win this series."